Boxoffice-May.29.1948

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Tele-Film Developments
QUT on the coast two weeks ago the
National Ass'n of Broadcasters met in
Los Angeles and the Society of M. P. Engineers
met at Santa Monica. The timing
was no coincidence: it was premeditated.
Broadcasting engineers and motion picture
engineers commuted back and forth
to each other's meetings. Both gatherings
heard a lot about television. David O.
Selznick jumped on the television bandwagon
while they were talking.
The SMPE men heard warnings that if
the picture industry did not make applications
for more station licenses in a hurry
it would find all the available channels
gone when it finally got around to the idea.
While this was going on Spyros P. Skouras
informed 20th Century-Fox stockholders
that he could vision the day when big
stage shows as well as films would be sent
over the air to hundreds of theatres simultaneously.
These would be so good, he
said, that they would eliminate competition
from home receivers.
If there are no air channels left, these
programs will need coaxial cables.
The uncertainties of the picture business
about television bear a marked resemblance
to the uncertainties of newspaper publishers
when radio stations began to broadcast
news and garner a large share of
the advertising dollar—especially in medium-sized
cities. After a period of bitter
enmity the newspapers decided to go into
the radio business. Newspapers now own
627 radio stations. They are served by the
AP, UP, INS, British UP, Canadian Press,
Chicago Tribune Press Service, Press News
'subsidiary of Canadian Press), Reuters
and Transradio Press.
It's big business—which explains the
current rush of film newsreels to get onto
the air with picture news for the rapidly
spreading television stations.
Here again the newspapers are joining in
the rush. They have 11 television stations
operating, 73 applications pending before
the FCC and 23 construction permits
granted.
They are all ready to make deals with
networks. They know network programs
furnished to them will be better than local
productions and less expensive. They have
had both AM and FM air experience.
Newspapers have fancy ways of avoiding
the FCC five-section-to-a-company limitation.
There are newspaper chains, too.
Paramount is the only film company
making aggressive television moves. It has
two stations and four applications, and the
FCC is splitting hairs over whether Paramount
"controls" Du Mont. Three out of
the four applications pending were filed
fcy Paramount theatre affiliates. If a Paramount
application is denied, the company
may take the validity of this FCC ruling
into court for a test.
If it does there will be a disturbance.
Some newspaper applic^ions are for station
permits where the papers do not circulate.
Some very small papers have made
as many as three applications. It is obvious
that the big networks will blossom
out with "affiliated" stations in strategic
spots and practically control many areas
By JAMES M. JERAULD
if the film business is held to the five-station
rule and newspaper chains are not.
Subsidies From USA
pRANCE has renewed its efforts to impose
a tax and playing time limitation
on American films so that American film
grosses will subsidize faltering production
in that country. Sweden has now joined in
a similar move, and Argentina has suspended
all remittances of funds to the U.S.
This keeps the leaders of the MPEA busy
hopping from one place to another. When
diplomacy breaks down they suspend film
exports. Tills usually produces two results
—a loud series of complaints from native
exhibitors who see their investments
jeopardized and a sudden realization on
the part of government officials that they
are cutting off the handsome income they
collect from admission and other taxes.
It is disconcerting and keeps the export
market for films in a constant state of
agitation, but it seems to be the only course
until such time as these countries can resume
accumulation of exchange.
More Children's Shows
^ITH 112 features added to the children's
film library by the MPAA, some
of the complaints of exhibitors ought to
disappear. At the start there was a limited
number of prints as well as a limited number
of subjects. Some exhibitors displayed
impatience when they found there was a
waiting list.
Under the new setup theatres will not be
eligible for the new subjects until they have
played 10 per cent of the old. Everybody
agrees the shows have been very successful
and have helped public relations in
neighborhoods and smaller communities.
with further additions to the program in
prcspect at some future date, there is every
indication the shows will be continued indefinitely
and expanded into new areas.
Charles C. PettiJohn
^HE passing of Charlie Pettijohn removed
a colorful figure from the industry. Before
his retirement in 1942 from the MPPDA
he exercised an enoiinous influence in
shaping the destinies of that organization.
As a matter of fact, he was one of its
founders and many credit him with having
induced Will H. Hays to leave President
Harding's cabinet to take over the
leadership of industry affairs.
In recent years he had spent practically
all his time at his Westchester home.
Back to Supreme Court
^HAT the industry antitrust case will
probably go back to the supreme court
after the lower court has decided what
theatres will have to be given up by the
major companies is made plain by Barney
Balaban in a letter to Paramount stockholders.
He says that it is impossible to predict
what the course of the company will be
in the new lower court trial, but mentions
"further review in the supreme court."
'Jock' Lawrence Given
New Post With Rank
NEW YORK—J. B. L. "Jock" Lawrence,
vice-president in charge of public relations
for the J. Arthur Rank
Organization since
1945, has been promoted
to executive
vice-president by Robert
S. Benjamin, president
of the American
corporation.
Lawrence is also a
member of the board
of directors of the
Rank company, the
others being J. Arthur
Rank, chairman: John
J. B. L. Lawrence Davis, vice-chairman:
Benjamin, president: John Woolf, William J.
Heineman and Ralph E. Reynolds. Lawrence
was a colonel in the general staff overseas
during the war, serving as chief public relations
officer for Lord Mountbatten of
Burma's commandos throughout 1942.
Ben Wirth Elected Head
Of WB Service Corp.
NEW YORK—Ben Wirth has been elected
president of Warner Bros. Service Corp., a
subsidiary of Warner
Bros. Pictures, Inc.,
which supervises concessions
in all of the
company's theatres.
Other officers of the
Service Corp. are:
Harold Rodner, vicepresident:
Robert W.
Perkins, secretary, and
Samuel Carlisle, treasurer.
Wirth, who was promoted
to head the Ben Wirth
Warner Bros, real estate department in Philadelphia
in 1944, has been with the home office
real estate department since 1930.
Gael Sullivan to Speak
At 111. Exhibitor Meet
NEW YORK—Gael Sullivan, who takes over
as executive director of TOA June 1, will
make his first official appearance before a
theatre group at the United Theatre Owners
of Illinois meeting at the Kaskaskia hotel, La
Salle, 111., Jmie 3 and 4.
Sullivan will speak before the theatre owners
of his home state at the invitation of
Edward Zorn, president of the Illionis association.
Herman M. Levy, general comisel
of TOA, will also address the meeting to discuss
the recent supreme court decision on the
Paramount case as well as other matters of
general exhibitor interest.
RKO Names Arthur Elliott
Calgary Branch Manager
NEW YORK—Arthur Elliott, salesman in
the RKO Montreal branch, has been promoted
to branch manager at Calgary by
Robert Mochrie, vice-president in charge of
distribution.
Elliott joined the Montreal branch in 1947
as student salesman. He also has served In
St. John, New Brunswick.
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BOXOFFICE :
: May
29, 1948
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